# A novel robotic wastewater analysis system to quantify opioid exposure and treatment in residential communities

> **NIH NIH R44** · BIOBOT ANALYTICS, INC. · 2021 · $250,806

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
COVID-19 continues to create significant challenges for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). During the
pandemic, opioid overdose rates increased by more than 50% in 37 of 38 US jurisdictions and emergency
medical service calls for opioid related overdose have increased by 50%. This increase in calls has been
mirrored by a 70% increase in refusal to transport rates. Opioid related morbidity, especially retention and
adherence to medication assisted treatment (MAT) and relapse are increasingly difficult to measure given
decreased overall interaction of individuals with OUD with the healthcare system and relaxed rules around
buprenorphine and methadone prescribing and waivers of in-person drug testing due to expanded telehealth
capabilities. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a feasible, noninvasive method to measure both the extent of
COVID-19 and the prevalence of MAT. Analysis of wastewater both upstream in neighborhoods and
downstream at wastewater treatment plants has been demonstrated as a feasible method to conduct
continuous surveillance of the penetrance of COVID-19 and opioid consumption. By measuring trends in
wastewater over time, insights into the effects of the burden of COVID-19 can be mapped in conjunction with
drugs of abuse, thereby permitting a longitudinal assessment of the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on OUD. This
urgent competitive revision expands our work in the parent grant where we have developed an innovative
method to measure and visualize opioids and their key metabolites in wastewater networks. In the first phase
of the parent grant, we optimized a wastewater-based opioid assay that can be applied both to wastewater
treatment plants as well as community level manholes. We also developed best practices around sample
collection methodology to account for population migrations and deliver a commercial opioid analysis product
for cities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have separately developed a SARS-CoV-2 wastewater assay
and modeled the ability of wastewater-based COVID-19 prevalence estimates to foreshadow rises in clinical
cases and hospitalizations. This urgent competitive revision will integrate COVID-19 wastewater testing into
the Biobot Analytics portfolio of commercial wastewater assay products. By innovatively developing standard
operating procedures to measure SARS-CoV-2 as well as opioid use (MAT and illicit opioids) in wastewater
networks, we will demonstrate the feasibility of developing maps and dashboards that lend empiric insight into
the intersection of OUD, MAT and COVID-19. Our research will enhance public health efforts at monitoring the
opioid epidemic and COVID pandemic at the community level by developing sustainable techniques that
measure use of MAT in the context of fluctuating COVID-19 disease burden in vulnerable individuals with OUD.
OMB No. 0925-0001/0002 (Rev. 03/16 Approved Through 10/31/2018) Page Continuation Format Page

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10381304
- **Project number:** 3R44DA051106-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** BIOBOT ANALYTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter R Chai
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $250,806
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-04-15 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10381304

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10381304, A novel robotic wastewater analysis system to quantify opioid exposure and treatment in residential communities (3R44DA051106-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10381304. Licensed CC0.

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